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Flashdance and Welding

Do you remember the story of Flashdance? Well, of course we all do. Welder by day, “aspiring” dancer by night. Wait a minute — that story sounds familiar. In fact, it’s remarkably similar to that of the girl below — so much so, that they even share the same first name…

Dancer-welder’s life is flashback to ‘Flashdance’

19-year-old puts ballet on hold while she practices trade to pay for future

Saturday, January 26, 2008 3:11 AM

CINCINNATI (AP) — Alexandra Harrill’s life as a dancer is reminiscent of the 1983 movie Flashdance, in which the heroine turned to welding to help support herself while she pursued her dream of becoming a professional ballerina.

Harrill, 19, has wanted to be a dancer since she put on her first pair of ballet shoes when she was 8. But she decided she needed another career that could pay the bills until she can make it as a performer.

“I need to be able to pay for myself, and get everything that I want by myself, so I needed to leave (dance) behind just for a while,” Harrill said, explaining why she chose to temporarily abandon dancing for welding.

Harrill had worked as a restaurant server while pursuing her craft. She spent three years with the Exhale Dance Tribe contemporary dance company and taught at another studio, but she found it difficult to juggle dance and work.

When her mother suggested welding as a backup career, she wasn’t enthusiastic, but she soon decided to trade her pointe shoes for steel-toed welder boots and enrolled in a three-week training course.

“I ended up being really good at it,” Harrill said. “It was pretty exciting, and I caught on pretty quickly.”